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New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) played host this weekend to more than 250 leading experts in applied mathematics. The researchers poured onto campus for an unusual three-day conference to discuss the frontiers of applied and computational mathematics.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Air Force Office of Special Research (AFOSR) provided funding. Other sponsors were NJIT, the Society of Math Biology and the Mathematical Biosciences Institute. NJIT's Department of Mathematical Sciences and Center for Applied Mathematics and Statistics organized the event.
"The conference offered mathematical researchers an opportunity to present their work in applied mathematics and statistics," said Daljit Ahluwahlia, PhD, acting dean of NJIT's College of Computing Sciences and former chairman of the department of mathematical sciences. Among the topics covered were mathematical biology, nonlinear waves and electromagnetics, fluid mechanics and applied statistics.
Joseph B. Keller, described by Ahluwahlia as "Mr. Applied Mathematics of the USA," was a featured speaker. Keller is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and recipient of the National Medal of Science. Other speakers included Larry Abbott (Brandeis University), Avner Friedman (Ohio State University), Martin Golubistsky (University of Houston) and Leo Kadanoff (University of Chicago).
"We saw a number of high quality poster presentations," said Ahluwahlia. "We were particularly gratified that graduate students participated in the conference and widened their research horizons by interacting with leading experts in their fields."
"The conference brought together some of the best minds in applied mathematics from around the nation and world," said Robert Miura, PhD, professor of mathematics and acting chairman of NJIT's Department of Mathematical Sciences. Among attendees were foreign researchers from the United Kingdom, Spain and Japan; mathematicians and statisticians from Novartis and Merck; top researchers from federal laboratories, such as Lawrence Livermore, Los Alamos and others.
The conference's modest $100 registration fee included breakfasts and lunches plus a Saturday night banquet. Find more information about this second annual event, plus forthcoming details about next year at http://m.njit.edu/
"The future of our profession depends on doctoral students and post-docs having access to this kind of collegial exchange," said Ahluwahlia. "I am happy to report that 60 junior researchers received travel subsidies to attend and at least 40 junior researchers were from institutions other than NJIT."
New Jersey Institute of Technology, the state's public technological research university, enrolls more than 8,300 students in bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in 100 degree programs offered by six colleges: Newark College of Engineering, New Jersey School of Architecture, College of Science and Liberal Arts, School of Management, Albert Dorman Honors College and College of Computing Sciences. NJIT is renowned for expertise in architecture, applied mathematics, wireless communications and networking, solar physics, advanced engineered particulate materials, nanotechnology, neural engineering and eLearning.